3/10

Day 6: Nothing new. One of the girls offered to bring me a Boca burger to try. She swears it tastes just like meat. Got a philosophical e-mail reminding me that it's wrong for high-road vegetarians to seek out products that taste like meat, because it defeats your ethical purpose. I'm so glad I have no ethical purpose in this case. Anyway, 40 meat-free days (and only 6 under the belt) do not a vegetarian make. As for taking the high road as a temporarily-meat-shunning vegetable eater -- nyet. Never got through "The Jungle." Didn't appreciate the propoganda printed on the Gardenburger box about how for one fleeting mouthful of meat we rip an innocent soul from the bosom of Mother Earth or some yadayada. I respect people who avoid meat because they love animals and all, but I had no political or ethical reason to buy the product (and now that I've tried it, no reason at all to buy it again) and so I felt uncomfortable buying the thing, like I was entering some exclusive club against my will, like all Gardenburger eaters believe that ground beef is murder. Hm. I did read a short story set in a slaughterhouse, which was disturbing and gross. It didn't make me want to stop consuming hamburger, it made me hope I never find myself anywhere near a meat-packing town.

Disturbing and gross and closer to home: the ducks. Again. Ping got trapped and beaten to an eyeless pulp by Shiro one afternoon while we were out. (is how Eugene's Brother initially described it. later it turned out that his head was just so swollen that his eyes were hidden.) I think it's fairly obvious that one of them has to go. But which one? They're both violent, but one is stronger. It would make sense for that one to go because no matter where he ends up (I'm kind of hoping the zoo will take him) he'll be better equipped to fend for himself among a bunch of new, strange ducks. Eugene's Brother points out that even though they fight all the time, they are always together. I have to admit, I don't think one would know what to do without the other. Sometimes they're just sitting there next to each other and suddenly they stand up at the same time and do a little circle dance around each other before sitting back down. I honestly think they might pine away if we put one up for adoption. Mull, mull. Hm, maybe we should just eat Ping. Joke. Really.

In other, much more pleasant news, Connie is finally engaged. It was the least shocking announcement in the world, but I still felt like bursting into tears. I'm SO happy for her. They've been together as long as they've known each other -- eight years. They are the least twisted product of Saimin (albeit an indirect product. She's a winner -- she never logged on.) Whee -- more wedding expo in April. (I'm sure Benny is just thrilled that we hang out at these things -- the last one is where I talked her out of white gold and into platinum.)

Once they actually get married, they will last forever. They're two halves of one karaoke-Love and Honesty-singing soul. Besides, they're practical like that. And she's Catholic, till death do they part.